Johnson, Knaus had quite a run

Ben White

Monday

Oct 15, 2018 at 9:37 PM

Sports dynasties prove to be enormously successful, built year after year and reach incredible heights. That is until the wins stop coming and the legendary stories find their way into the history books.

Another of those unions will end after 17 seasons, as seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus will part ways at the end of the 2018 season for new partnerships at Hendrick Motorsports.

Not since seven-time champion Richard Petty and crew chief Dale Inman and Dale Earnhardt and crew chiefs Kirk Shelmerdine and Andy Petree with RCR Enterprises has anyone come close to repeating their glory.

Then in 2002 came Johnson and Knaus, two ambitious young racers on a mission to form a team and win races as they learned how to maneuver the sport. The bond reached incredible heights with titles in 2006, ’07, ’08, ’09,’10, ’13 and ’16. They dreamed of becoming the only eight-time championship driver-crew chief combination in 2017 and 2018 but their quests fell short of the milestone that no one has accomplished. Still, they, along with their dedicated pit crews, have collected 83 wins, 224 top-five finishes, 351 top-10s and 35 pole positions through Sunday’s race at Talladega.

Johnson summed their dominance by simply saying,” "We’re fierce competitors. We both want to win races, we both want to win championships and we acknowledge the fact that we’ve had a hell of a run. It’s been a long, amazing run of 17 years."

Neither plan on going anywhere, as they are committed to Hendrick Motorsprts through the remainder of their careers. Johnson will have Kevin Meendering, current crew chief for NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff contender Elliott Sadler at JR Motorsports, while Knaus will be taking over leadership of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports with driver William Byron.

“It’s not over and we’re lifers with this company," Johnson said. "This is home for us and our collaboration of working together, it’s ending the way that we’re all familiar with it being, but it’s not over. My interaction with the young drivers, with the crew chiefs in general, Chad’s input, to me, that line of communication, the ability to work together is still there.”

"Sometimes, change brings new opportunity. Change brings excitement, a new breath of fresh air, a spark. Whatever it might be, that opportunity is now here for us. We’ve been highly committed to each other, this team and our relationship, but it’s just to the point where we feel like change is the next step and potentially the next step for our next level of greatness as individuals. It just feels like it’s time.”

Knaus agreed the move will strengthen the Concord, N.C. based powerhouse operation. He will miss making the decisions atop of the No. 48 pit box but realizes he and others in key roles with must search for the bigger picture.

“It’s the right time with the company with what we’ve got going on," Knaus said. "We made a huge fundamental shift last year with the way we operate at Hendrick Motorsports; combining the two buildings and putting four teams under one roof essentially. There’s time for evolution that creates opportunity for a lot of people…we’ve got to do what we feel is best for the No. 48, we’ve got to do what we feel is best for the other parts of the company. It’s just the right time.”

The decision to make a shift in team personnel was carefully discussed in recent weeks and is designed to boost team performance that leads to a surge in team moral. Since forming Hendrick Motorsports in 1984, Rick Hendrick has regrouped his teams and drivers many times and has 12-career championships to show for it with Johnson’s seven, Jeff Gordon with four and Terry Labonte with one.

“Chad and Jimmie will go down as one of the greatest combinations in sports history,” Rick Hendrick said on the Hendrick Motorsports website. “They defied the odds by performing at a championship level for longer than anyone could’ve possibly imagined. What they’ve accomplished together has been absolutely remarkable and will be celebrated for generations. This has been an incredible, storybook run.

“It’s no secret that Chad and Jimmie have experienced their ups and downs over the years. They’re fierce competitors, great friends and have immense respect for one another. They also fight like brothers. All three of us agree it’s finally time for new challenges and that a change will benefit them and the organization.”

The amazing on-track record written by Johnson and Knaus is truly one of the greatest chapters of NASCAR’s 70-year history. In 2019, they will begin to write new chapters and new stories of success.

Ben White is a motorsports columnist for The Dispatch.

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